Plymouth

Plymouth's population grew between the last two censuses. Data from the census also show there were changes in religion, marriage and relationships.

The population passed quarter of a million

Between the last two censuses, the population of Plymouth increased by 6.5%, from just under 241,000 to 256,000.

The addition of almost 16,000 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Plymouth was home to, on average, 23 people per football pitch-sized piece of land. This made it the South West's second-most densely-populated unitary authority.

Population density was higher than the average across the South West

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the South West, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Plymouth

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Plymouth increased by one year, from 37 to 38 years.

This city had a lower average age than the South West and became slightly younger than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The fall in age was because of an increase of about 11,000 people between the ages of 20 and 29 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by almost 6,000.

About 17% of people in Plymouth are aged between 20 and 29 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, South West and Plymouth by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Plymouth

The number of people in Plymouth that described themselves as having no religion increased from about 44,000 in 2001 to about 84,000 in 2011. This represents a change from 18% to 33% of the local population.

The percentage increased by more than the average across the South West (from 17% to 30%) and the average across England (from 15% to 25%).

The number of people in Plymouth that described themselves as Christian decreased from about 180,000 in 2001 to about 150,000 in 2011 (from 74% to 58%). The number of people who did not disclose their religious affiliation increased from just over 17,000 to just over 18,000. Both of these figures represented about 7.1% of the total population at the time of the 2001 and 2011 censuses.

Just under 2,100 people (0.4%) said they were Muslim, up from just under 890 in 2001 (0.8%).

There are many factors that can cause changes to the religious profile of an area, such as migration and varying fertility rates between religious groups. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals choose to self-identify between censuses.

The population without a religion in Plymouth increased by 15 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, South West and Plymouth by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

More single people in Plymouth

Plymouth saw the South West's largest rise in the proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership.

In 2011, just under 4 in 10 (37%) people aged 16 and over in Plymouth said they were single, compared with 30% in 2001. The percentage that said they were married decreased from 48% to 43%.

Across the region, Bristol saw the next largest increase in the proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership (from 40% in 2001 to 47% in 2011).

Every local authority area across the South West saw a rise in the proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership, as the regional average grew from 27% to 31%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership was higher than across the South West

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were single across local authority areas in the South West and the average across England, March 2011

More people cohabiting

The percentage of households in Plymouth, which comprised a cohabiting couple, increased from 8.1% to 11% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just over 3 in 10 (31%) households had only one person, compared with 32% in 2001. The percentage of households in Plymouth, which comprised a married couple (with or without children), decreased from 35% to 31%.

The proportion of households with an unmarried couple increased faster here than in any other local authority district across the South West. The improvement brought health in Plymouth close to the national average 9.9% in England described their health as good in 2011).

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple in Plymouth increased by 3 percentage points

Percentage of households in Plymouth, the South West and England that had an unmarried couple, March 2001 and March 2011

More students

Plymouth saw the South West's third-largest rise in the proportion of students.

In 2011, just under 1 in 20 (4.6%) people aged 16 to 74 in Plymouth said they were in education, compared with 3.5% in 2001. The percentage that were employed decreased from 52% to 51%.

Across the region, only Bath and North East Somerset (from 3.5% to 5.1%) and Exeter (from 4.4% to 5.6%) saw a greater increase in the proportion of students.

The percentage of students in Plymouth increased by 1.1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Plymouth, the South West and England that said they were in education, March 2001 and March 2011

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